All NATO countries could be interested in the Czech drone, says the owner of Isolit-Bravo

You can also listen to the interview in the audio version.

“We originally developed the drone for firefighters and the Army of the Czech Republic. But then the war broke out in Ukraine, so we started delivering drones there, directly to the front. When you imagine how the economy there is broken and everything is difficult to function, we sent them there for free. But because we have to make money, we would like to turn them into a business now,” describes the owner of Isolit-Bravo, Kvido Štěpánek, in the program Agenda.

And according to him, all NATO states could be interested. “These united countries are trying to coordinate purchases of military equipment among themselves. We would like to expand to these countries in the future.” However, such a path is complex and will depend on the specific requirements of the armies.

“Further developments will depend on negotiations with the Army of the Czech Republic and the Ministry of Defense. We are able to produce what we deliver to Ukraine right away, but we may encounter standards and requirements that will come from Czech experts. We would try to fulfill them as soon as possible, but it will depend on how complex they will be in the end,” he said, adding that minor modifications to the ground drone, which can bring ammunition to the front or transport the wounded even under enemy fire, are possible within a few months .

The company already has its first orders. “We have already ordered three drones for Ukraine, now for money. We also sold one machine to the University of Defense in Brno,” said the entrepreneur.

According to the owner, the current production capacity of Isolit-Bravo could reach tens to hundreds of ground drones per month. In basic equipment, the price of one machine would rise to around 300,000 crowns.

“Our total turnover is now around one billion crowns per year. If everything goes well, the production and distribution of drones could account for up to a tenth of the entire turnover,” said Kvido Štěpánek for SZ Byznys.

According to Štěpánek, the effort to succeed in the new industry is related to the overall development of the automotive industry, to which the company has been supplying plastic parts and molds for a long time. European automotive is facing problems on several fronts, due to sharp competition from China and weak European demand.

According to Kvid Štěpánek, the long-term unfavorable development of the European automotive industry could lead to a shift of production to China. “We were manufacturers and developers of electrical appliances for world brands. In recent years, however, everything has moved to China. It’s more complicated with car production, but I’m afraid that this is one of the ways that European industry can be damaged,” said the businessman.

Therefore, other automotive suppliers in the Czech Republic could also look for new fields of interest. But according to him, the entrance can be complicated.

“When you’re trying to break into a new industry, the usual response is that companies already have their proven suppliers that they work with. At the same time, there is not too much hunger for classic mechanical engineering in the Czech Republic,” says the owner of Isolit-Bravo in an interview.